Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2015 20:40:22 GMT
The party:
Luccia, a human ex-pirate who drinks herself to oblivion nightly.
Uthal, a half-giant bard who inspired her people in battle
Kalidan, an elven wizard who hunts criminal spellcasters
Loghan, a half-giant fighter with a virtuous but rigid personal code of conduct.
Shar, a mysterious creature (water Genasi stat block) born in the frozen north, she is an agent of the primordial water goddess
Finian, an orphaned halfling rogue, and ringleader of a gang of child pickpockets
A note, there was plenty more action before and after this event, but here's the meat:
Last week, the party visited a ley line crossing to extract Adross (crystallized willpower, generic GP material component) so that a diviner could scry the location of a suspicious mage. The diviner pinpointed his location to a nearby farm. During the scrying, he observed the mage speaking to a group of goblins hiding in the barn, and then entering the nearby home, where the family had been murdered only moments ago. At this point, the mage realized he was being observed, and the scrying broke.
The party rushed to the farm, only a quarter mile away. They approached cautiously, noting there was no activity outside either building. Shar and Finian crept around the back of the barn, while the other four stood at the front. Loghan kicked open the door and let out a roar, startling the six goblins inside. He rushed up to the edge of the loft, ten feet above. Given his height, it was easy enough to grab the ledge. He takes fire from the goblins, but hoists himself to the loft.
Meanwhile out back, Shar hoists Finian onto her shoulders, so the halfling can scramble up to the large double doors on the second floor. It's a struggle to open since he's so tiny and the doors are so big, but he manages. He gets them open as the goblins are opening fire on the main assault party inside. He gains enough footing to fire off his bow, then hops back down before they can respond.
Luccia and Kalidan return fire with ranged attacks, dropping two of the goblins then gaining cover behind the barn stalls. Uthal makes like Loghan, and simply pulls herself up to the loft. Hell, the ladder probably would've broken if either of them tried it, anyway. The goblin leader looks out the loft door, left open by Finian and hoping to chuck a javelin at him. Instead he sees Shar. They both throw a javelin at one another, just grazing their opponent.
The next round sees Luccia and Kalidan struggling to hit their targets. Uthal and Loghan dispatch the remaining goblins, except their leader. The goblin leader hops out the loft door, and makes a run for the woods, but Shar gives chase and lands a spear square in his back, nailing him to the ground.
Meanwhile, Finian observes the farmhouse door open inexplicably, and dust kicking up along the dirt path outside (very high perception check). He starts running that direction, and sees the high grasses to the side parting. He quickly deduces that it's an invisible something, and shoots an arrow at it. Miraculously, the shot lands! The others are heading that way, but with a glance, Kalidan notices a bloodied figure standing in the doorway of the house. He quickly casts sleep in the area of the parting grass. The grass stops parting (notably, Kal's player rolled just 4 HP shy of the mage's max HP on the Sleep spell. The mage would have escaped if Finian's arrow didn't damage it the round before). Shar and Loghan rush to where it stopped, and find a young boy lying there, unconscious. They recognize him from earlier, the creepy kid Darby, who is the mayor's assistant. Luccia helps herself to a drink from her flask, and Uthal simply waits and observes the figure at the farmhouse door. She notices its throat is slit wide open, but not bleeding and mentions this to Kalidan. Kal casts a bonfire spell in door frame. The figure lurches forward, followed by three more zombies. Each takes fire damage as they carelessly move toward the party.
Shar and Finian return to the party while Loghan restrains and gags Darby. Together, the five make quick work of the undead, and report the incident to the mayor, who is understandably shocked.
I was fully anticipating Darby would escape, and to have him appear later. They really threw me a curve ball here, but that's the beauty of RPGs. Of course, Darby is just a pawn. Looks like the BBEG is going to have to make an early appearance to drive a specific plot point.
Luccia, a human ex-pirate who drinks herself to oblivion nightly.
Uthal, a half-giant bard who inspired her people in battle
Kalidan, an elven wizard who hunts criminal spellcasters
Loghan, a half-giant fighter with a virtuous but rigid personal code of conduct.
Shar, a mysterious creature (water Genasi stat block) born in the frozen north, she is an agent of the primordial water goddess
Finian, an orphaned halfling rogue, and ringleader of a gang of child pickpockets
A note, there was plenty more action before and after this event, but here's the meat:
Last week, the party visited a ley line crossing to extract Adross (crystallized willpower, generic GP material component) so that a diviner could scry the location of a suspicious mage. The diviner pinpointed his location to a nearby farm. During the scrying, he observed the mage speaking to a group of goblins hiding in the barn, and then entering the nearby home, where the family had been murdered only moments ago. At this point, the mage realized he was being observed, and the scrying broke.
The party rushed to the farm, only a quarter mile away. They approached cautiously, noting there was no activity outside either building. Shar and Finian crept around the back of the barn, while the other four stood at the front. Loghan kicked open the door and let out a roar, startling the six goblins inside. He rushed up to the edge of the loft, ten feet above. Given his height, it was easy enough to grab the ledge. He takes fire from the goblins, but hoists himself to the loft.
Meanwhile out back, Shar hoists Finian onto her shoulders, so the halfling can scramble up to the large double doors on the second floor. It's a struggle to open since he's so tiny and the doors are so big, but he manages. He gets them open as the goblins are opening fire on the main assault party inside. He gains enough footing to fire off his bow, then hops back down before they can respond.
Luccia and Kalidan return fire with ranged attacks, dropping two of the goblins then gaining cover behind the barn stalls. Uthal makes like Loghan, and simply pulls herself up to the loft. Hell, the ladder probably would've broken if either of them tried it, anyway. The goblin leader looks out the loft door, left open by Finian and hoping to chuck a javelin at him. Instead he sees Shar. They both throw a javelin at one another, just grazing their opponent.
The next round sees Luccia and Kalidan struggling to hit their targets. Uthal and Loghan dispatch the remaining goblins, except their leader. The goblin leader hops out the loft door, and makes a run for the woods, but Shar gives chase and lands a spear square in his back, nailing him to the ground.
Meanwhile, Finian observes the farmhouse door open inexplicably, and dust kicking up along the dirt path outside (very high perception check). He starts running that direction, and sees the high grasses to the side parting. He quickly deduces that it's an invisible something, and shoots an arrow at it. Miraculously, the shot lands! The others are heading that way, but with a glance, Kalidan notices a bloodied figure standing in the doorway of the house. He quickly casts sleep in the area of the parting grass. The grass stops parting (notably, Kal's player rolled just 4 HP shy of the mage's max HP on the Sleep spell. The mage would have escaped if Finian's arrow didn't damage it the round before). Shar and Loghan rush to where it stopped, and find a young boy lying there, unconscious. They recognize him from earlier, the creepy kid Darby, who is the mayor's assistant. Luccia helps herself to a drink from her flask, and Uthal simply waits and observes the figure at the farmhouse door. She notices its throat is slit wide open, but not bleeding and mentions this to Kalidan. Kal casts a bonfire spell in door frame. The figure lurches forward, followed by three more zombies. Each takes fire damage as they carelessly move toward the party.
Shar and Finian return to the party while Loghan restrains and gags Darby. Together, the five make quick work of the undead, and report the incident to the mayor, who is understandably shocked.
I was fully anticipating Darby would escape, and to have him appear later. They really threw me a curve ball here, but that's the beauty of RPGs. Of course, Darby is just a pawn. Looks like the BBEG is going to have to make an early appearance to drive a specific plot point.